Never the Same
by madamwolf
Summary: Exactly how did that breakfast go for Remus the morning after the full moon in Prisoner of Azkaban?


**AN: **Another bit I found on my flashdrive, wrote it two years ago. I read through it, made some corrections (so if there are anymore, which I'm sure there are, my apologies) and here it is. I don't know why I didn't post this when I made it, maybe there was an intension of more but I don't know. Here it is, enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything you see here, though Remus would be nice, huh?

**Spoilers**: End of POA

Never the Same

Remus Lupin sat the at the head table eating his breakfast slowly and carefully. Normally he wouldn't make an appearance the morning after the full moon, he would sleep in a few extra hours, but he couldn't seem to fall asleep once he got into his warm bed. He just laid there thinking about the previous night, about Sirius and Peter, how he was so careless and just transformed right in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Snape, Sirius and Peter. So many people he could have bitten, he was being so stupid leaving the castle and forgetting his potion. He should have waited for Snape to come with the potion.

He was sore all over and there were bruises and scratches littering his body. There were several scratches on his neck and his cheek, but he did anything he could to cover them up. If anyone asked he was helping Hagrid with a recent animal and it got a little rowdy, that always worked. He pushed the eggs around on his plate and cut them up into little pieces, just playing with his food.

Remus stiffed and yawn and looked around the room, they were all so oblivious to everything that was happening. Well that was except for two third year Gryffindors, but he noticed that the third was missing. He momentarily wondered where Harry was but then brushed it off, figuring that he was probably sleeping in since the events the previous night.

The young professor dug his fork into his eggs and shoveled them into his mouth, when breakfast was over he would be going to Madam Pomfery for a check up, she always insisted on them, and if his stomach was empty he was in for a long lecture. Ones he could normally withstand when he went to school, his friends were always there and they could mess around with one another when she wasn't looking, but now it was just him.

There was a voice filtering above the crowd in the hall and he looked up and over to his left to see Snape talking loudly. Remus unconsciously sneered at the man, he had managed to overcome his old prejudice for the Slytherin, but that didn't mean he liked him. Snape had helped him out with the potion over the last few months, even if it was because Dumbledore made him.

Remus rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his toast, the voice of the greasy haired professor was beginning to aggravate his head ache. But just as he reached down for some more eggs he found his hand freezing, hovering above the fork. Snape had mentioned the night before, about how he didn't get much sleep. He wouldn't reveal his secret, would he? He didn't all those years ago when they went to school together, why would he do it now? Panic began to rise up from the pit of his stomach and with his enhanced hearing he listened intently. He couldn't do it now; Dumbledore has asked him not to… he couldn't.

He heard another professor, the astronomy professor speak. She wasn't trying to start trouble; in fact she was probably trying to give Snape an excuse. "Were you grading papers? I tell you that's why I was up past hours. It's just exhausting sometimes, the end of the year kills."

But then, just when Remus hoped for the best, Snape did, just moments later the words flowed out of his mouth as if they were nothing.

"No, it's because I spent the whole night babysitting a werewolf." He spat like it was poison on his tongue. "I tell you Lupin should learn how too lock the door on the full moon."

In response to this Professor Sinistra dropped her fork onto her plate with a clang, she certainly wasn't expecting that as a reply.

Well, at least Snape hadn't told the whole truth. That would get him thrown in Azkaban for sure, he thought keeping his head low as the sound died in the room.

He rose his gaze slightly to the now silent room, how was it that whenever someone said something no one wanted heard up at this table the entire dinning hall heard it? But when you wanted their attention they chattered away? He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked around the room with his eyes, they were all on him. It was only silent for a moment until whispers of horror and revelation hit the students and they began talking amongst themselves, never taking their eyes of their Defense professor. Or ex-Defense professor now.

Remus looked around the table with wide panicked eyes and saw some of the professors glare at Snape mortified at his actions, but a few were grinning, as if he had done what they were all thinking. McGonagall stood from where she sat and walked over to Remus, she knelt down and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Remus, it'll all be alright, you'll see. Everything will be fine, I'm sure of it."

But he could sense the tension and uneasiness of her voice. She was wavering, she knew it wouldn't all be alright she was just trying to console him, and it wasn't working very well.

"No…" He breathed, almost inaudibly. "It won't… I have to go." He said shrugging her off and pushing himself away from the table, people gasped as he stood as if this small gesture was a signal he would transform and attack.

After pausing momentarily at their response he brushed past the older professor who moved to go after him but was stopped by Dumbledore who placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't." He said and watched as his former student and now former colleague walk past the professors and down the steps. "I think, he needs a bit of time alone for now, I'll talk to him later, after I finish with Severus."

"Severus…" She hissed and looked over to the potions master who looked particularly pleased with himself. She didn't like to discriminate against others because of their house, in fact in her time she knew a great number of Slytherins who were wonderful people but this particular man made her blood boil.

Remus walked down the long hall between the Gryffindor table and the Slytherin table. On the one side he heard the sneers and the nasty comments and remarks coming from the prominently pure blooded side. He cringed at them, he was so used to their absence he had forgotten what it was like during these blissful months where it wasn't common knowledge what he was. But now, those days were over. This would be in the prophet and now everyone would know. He wouldn't be unknown anywhere now.

However, on the other side he heard voices of strength and calming words. People who didn't care, people who wanted to help him get through this. His fellow Gryffindors, he couldn't help but glance over to them and once he did he saw almost nothing but reassuring smiles. He tried to return it, but was finding it hard to form the simple movement. He saw the Weasley twins looking at him with awe and when he passed they gave him probably the most touching of smiles, he had grown fond of the boys. They reminded him of the Marauders, of him, Sirius, James and to an extent, yes, even Peter. He had to talk to them and the trio later and let them know it would all be okay. It would all be okay.

He pushed open the doors and welcomed the silence on the other end that awaited him. This was the end of his career as a professor, he would resign now, no one would want him teaching their children. But he had a good run, he loved it, it was one of the best periods of his life, he would never forget it.


End file.
